How much money did every Premier League club spend on agent fees last year?

The FA published its annual breakdown of fees paid to agents and intermediaries, revealing that Premier League clubs spent a total of £409 million on agent fees. With top players frequently represented by an agency in today’s game, it has become commonplace for clubs to spend significant money to secure the signatures of their clients.

Not only has the total figure been revealed, but there has also been a breakdown of where clubs rank based on their individual spend, with the two teams at the top at risk of making costly mistakes that could lead to them failing to meet their targets by the end of the season.

20-16

Ipswich Town, Southampton, Everton, Leicester City, Crystal Palace

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Unsurprisingly, the current bottom three are in the final five for agent spending, demonstrating that money can certainly help buy success in the English top flight. Ipswich Town were in League One just two seasons ago, so it should come as no surprise that they are in last place with a £6.3 million budget. They are followed by already relegated Southampton, financially troubled Everton, and Leicester City, the only other teams that have not broken the £10 million mark.

The final team in the bottom five has fared much better this season. Crystal Palace’s impressive recruitment has not only resulted in some incredibly attractive football under Oliver Glasner, but it has also brought them close to winning their first major trophy, the FA Cup.

15-11

Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Wolves, Brentford, Bournemouth

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Two teams in the top five of the bottom half stand out, owing to their outperformance this season. Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth have done exceptionally well to be in contention for Europe as the domestic season comes to a close, and they haven’t relied too heavily on big-money signings, ranking 14th and 11th in agent fees, respectively.

Fulham and Brentford have also done an admirable job given their limited budgets, playing attractive football while also ensuring their teams’ safety and even attempting to break into the top ten in the league. Wolves, who spent £13.5 million on representatives, will undoubtedly have expected slightly better results and risk losing star players such as Matheus Cunha.

10-6

Brighton, Tottenham, West Ham, Liverpool, Arsenal

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As we approach the top ten, we start to see some very different fortunes. Fabian Hurzeler has recently been booed at Brighton, and given their history of buying low and selling high, the Seagulls’ appearance in the top ten of an expenditure category may raise eyebrows. Speaking of managers being booed by fans, Tottenham are ninth in the Premier League table, and they would snap your hand off to be there.

West Ham has also disappointed given their spending power, but Liverpool and Arsenal have not. The league’s top two have spent a combined £43.6 million, though Mohamed Salah’s agent may have seen the Reds increase that figure just after the transaction period.

5-1

Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea

In terms of success this season, the top five are evenly split. Newcastle’s spending helped them win their first trophy in seven decades, so they will have no regrets about what they paid. Aston Villa have also spent heavily since their return to the Champions League, which has resulted in a run to the quarter-finals and the possibility of another appearance next season.

The remaining three, not so much. Manchester United have had their worst Premier League season despite spending a whopping £33 million on player agents. Manchester City finished second in a season in which they fell far short of their previous dominance.

And there are no prizes for guessing Chelsea would sit right at the top, given how Todd Boehly likes to spend. However, their poor form since the turn of the year has once again put them at risk of failing to qualify for the Champions League – another potential financial blow for the Blues.

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